The History of Telecommunications Wiki

Welcome to the not-for-profit CellStream History of Telecommunication Timeline wiki pages.

Some of us have been in telecommunications for our entire careers. This history project started many years ago, and has grown to a very large size. Frustrated by the disjointed information on the Internet, missing important information, or incomplete projects, we wanted to create a more complete and sustainable project. We have even split off the Internet History[1] as a separate but related project. If you are into Telecom and Internet history - you get this!

This is a work in progress as we discover new historical data which you can contribute to!

You must register to edit pages here! We would love some additional participation, so let us know if you want to help

So much has changed in Telecommunication and we found a great graphic to represent that:

What is Telecommunication?

Tele (Greek) = distant

Alexander Graham Bell constructed this prototype telephone in 1875. The device consists of a coil of wire, a magnetic arm and a taut membrane. Any sound causes the membrane, and hence the magnetic arm, to vibrate. The movement of the magnet induces a fluctuating electric current in the coil. This electrical signal can be reconverted into sound by an identical apparatus at the other end of the circuit.

Communication (Latin) = connection

Human beings have always had a need to share their thoughts and experiences. In earlier times it was difficult to stay in touch with people who lived far away. Today, you can pick up the phone and talk to people anywhere in the world. Communication is necessary for human development.

A number of individuals (click on their names to see their pictures) have contributed to the development of electricity and early telecommunications.